Reviews

Supporting the Social and Emotional Wellbeing of Children

Jellyfish programme and products presentationAly Rook
I attended a Jellyfish information morning and found Lucy and Sarah incredibly kind, professional and passionate about what the are doing. They were always willing to answer questions and I am looking forward to working with them more in the future.
If you are interested in the wellbeing of children and want some new skills I’d highly recommend attending one of their information meetings to learn more, drink tea and chat about all things Jellyfish with no pressure to take it further or buy into anything!

Be the Jellyfish Colouring ResourceLisa Grusso. Parent
I had a lovely time with my daughter using this book. We spent a lot of time talking about what she was doing and there was lots of storytelling and creative imagination. I would definitely recommend it for helping children to open up.

One to one Jellyfish trainingJo Lester. TA. St. Mary’s School
Absolutely fantastic course. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute and I will be applying all aspects of Be The Jellyfish with the children I work with. Sarah and Lucy were excellent trainers, intuitive, warm and informative. I feel very excited and enthusiastic about the material in the course. I hope to take it to the next level and become a teacher myself.

Jellyfish programme and products presentationNexus School SENCo Forum
Number of people attending the course: 16
Number of completed evaluations returned: 15

What did you find most useful?

Beautiful resources, can see potential

The training resources sound excellent and flexible to use within school

It looks like an interesting wellbeing programme we could use

Practical ideas

Explanation of programme and how resources can be used across the school

Looking at resources

Resources and the fact that you can change to each individual child

Seeing / using the resources

The overview and how to practically use with different ages

The practical tasks

The activities to gain experience

The practical activates and ideas to use in class

The explanation of the lesson structure

Lots of ideas and practical info

Everything, very interesting

Give an example of one change to your practice/environment that you will make as a result of this training:

I would like to use some of the cards and will suggest use of the programme within schools

Suggest using the cards after break / lunch times to help children express feeling

Group and individual work

I’ll be looking further into this as a programme to use

Purchase of training manual and cards to enable children to talk about their feeling

Consider using with small groups in each year

I will recommend this to schools

I am in Early Years so I will cascade ideas to the settings

Try to persuade SENCo to roll programme out, like the flexibility of the program

Don’t pre-guess the pupils interpretation & feelings

Suggest introduce the programme into schools with pupils with PD needs

Not naming emotions

Using the Jellyfish cards – changing from current emotion faces used and not naming emotions

Share at SLT, hope to use elements to enhance our ‘listening ear’ facility

Will look at resources

Any other comments:

Brilliant presentation, interesting but relaxing!

Very child friendly ideas / resources

Love the cards

Super training, super trainers

Really enjoyable thank you

Thank you

Be the JellyfishLearning Mentor/Inclusion Team, West Sussex
We trialed it with a year 5 class who were struggling with behaviour for learning, especially in the afternoons. We targeted our impact data on 5 children who were especially struggling but ran whole class massage, visualisation and group work with the Jellyfish cards after break and after lunch every day before they returned to the classroom. The feedback from the children has been so positive and their teacher has feedback that they are ‘more ready to learn’ after a Jellyfish session. The cards have proved the most popular and the children are using them to help describe feelings they are experiencing to the rest of the class, they have started to get really good at this. The teacher is also using the cards to help unpick tricky days and playtime incidents with the children and they are finding them very useful. Our year 3’s are now starting to do the same as of yesterday. I have also set up an after school Jellyfish Club which is now oversubscribed, we were going to start small with 10 but we now have 16!! They absolutely love it and are already planning the end of term Jellyfish ‘hot choc and cookies party’! It has helped highlight that some of our seemingly settled children are still struggling with things but just appear to be coping and has given us a way in with them. Their ability to help and support each other during these sessions has blown me away!

Jellyfish Package 2L. Kensett. Learning Mentor. Copthorne Junior School
Thank you for providing this. I found it extremely interesting and will cascade to my line manager at work. The resources are thorough and comprehensive. I only wish we could have had longer!

Jellyfish Training
Thank you for all the information you managed to impart in such a short space of time. It’s good to know we can contact you for further information/feedback if needed.

Jellyfish TrainingTA
Fantastic and feels like it fills a much needed gap!

Jellyfish Package 2C. Bell. Learning Mentor, West Sussex
What a fab morning. I feel this programme fills a huge gap in what is available! The holistic approach means all learning styles and various issues are covered in a group situation. Thanks so much! I can’t wait to start!

Jellyfish ProgrammeCarmen Bowers, Deputy Head Teacher, St Peter’s, East Grinstead
I am proud to have a long-standing association with Be The Jellyfish. The classes are fantastic opportunities for children to experiment with creativity and self-expression in a safe and stimulating environment. Jellyfish empowers children to communicate their feelings and has been exceptionally beneficial in encouraging children to relax, keep calm and understand their feelings. The fact that Jellyfish has been devised and is managed by experienced primary school teachers means it is ideally suited to support children through the increased pressures of the current education system. They are relaxed, happier and far more comfortable with self-expression as a result of their participation in Jellyfish classes.

Halloween community classParent
Cameron found it really fun. He liked the story and how he felt calm and relaxed. He really wants to go again!

Community classSophie Falinski, Mother
I took my ten year old and five year old to the Jellyfish Christmas class. The first half of the session was extremely calming and I found it especially beneficial for my son who has learning difficulties and tends to get anxious and wound up about things. It was a wonderful opportunity for him to relax and release a lot of tension.

Jellyfish ProgrammeMrs Hawtin, SENCo, Crawley Down Village School
Children attending the classes all thoroughly enjoyed the experience and seemed to develop in confidence, showing a greater understanding of their feelings and how to express them, even after just 5 sessions. They loved expressing themselves through art and enjoyed teaching the relaxation techniques to their friends in class. There was such a happy and relaxed atmosphere it was a pleasure to watch! At the end of the sessions the children were always really proud of what they had made and eager to share it with their families.

Jellyfish ProgrammeS. Martin, Behaviour Managment Consultant, Hackney
In my experience as an LEA behaviour management consultant, most schools crave the space, time and resources to support their most vulnerable. There is a clear recognition that for all children ensuring healthy social, emotional and mental wellbeing will have a significantly positive effect on the ability to access learning. However, the current pressures on teachers simply does not allow them the time to meet all the complex needs that are arising in the classroom. Be the Jellyfish provides a creative, child centred and inclusive programme. The programme gives children the opportunity to explore their thoughts and feelings in a safe space. The supporting resources are not only impeccably designed and completely accessible, ensuring that the Jellyfish approach is one that can be embedded and sustained in a variety of settings. Be the Jellyfish’s vision is one of promoting self esteem, confidence and resilience. This is met through caring, creative and expert guidance.

Community classParent
Lola found the class very fun, very creative and very relaxing. She loved it and can’t wait to go again.

Jellyfish ProgrammeElizabeth Coster, SENCo, St Peter’s, East Grinstead
Pupils at St Peter’s cannot wait for their next Jellyfish class. It is a chance for them to reflect and to engage with their feelings and emotions in a different way. It has been hugely positive for some of our pupils with ASD and ADHD as well as helping children going through difficult time in their lives, finding a way to cope and express themselves. It is also an opportunity for children to open up in a different way, for example they might reveal some big news for the first time, or discuss something that has been worrying them. It has especially had a big impact on the atmosphere of cohorts with a large amount of SEN and large boy to girl ratio. The ethos behind Jellyfish has helped towards improving challenging behaviour, improving relationships and reducing bullying and adding to a culture of care and wellbeing. We love the way Jellyfish is completely inclusive and every child who takes part can take something away from each session. The calm, relaxed atmosphere is great to help children unwind and de-stress.

Community classParent on holiday!
Jellyfish can make children and adults feel different within an hour!

Jellyfish ProgrammeMrs Hays, Reception class teacher, West Sussex
When we have had a busy day it is nice to come in, all be together and feel relaxed and ready for learning. I find the massage such a good way to start the afternoon.

Jellyfish ProgrammeMiss Archer, Year 5/6 class teacher, OLQOH, Crawley
The children thoroughly enjoyed the class as it gave them the chance to relax and be creative without constraints to their self expression. They were given time to reflect and initiate their own learning. Accessible to all children regardless their age or ability. Would recommend this class to everyone.

Community Jellyfish ClassAimi Mtopa, Parent
Jellyfish classes are an invaluable space for my children to engage with their creativity and emotional expression. It has prompted us to have some open, meaningful chats about how they are feeling that otherwise may not have happened in our busy lives, for which I am thankful. The Jellyfish teachers are warm, sensitive and skilled at creating a safe, nurturing environment. My boys love going to the classes and always come back with lots to tell. The variety of experiences is amazing, each session being different and stimulating. I thoroughly recommend it and feel confident that my children’s wellbeing is enhanced by their participation. There is nothing else available like it in my area.